The Soulmate System

8. There are Three Types of Soulmates: Primary, Secondary, and Potential

Their project deadline came a week later. Stevenson, impressed and satisfied with their work, opted for them to stay together on another project, the same arrangement's parameters in place.

The seasons changed as their work began again. Dylan began catching up with his deadlines and learned more about how colours factored into someone's viewing experience from Bryce. For the first time in a long while, Dylan felt invigorated by his work.

Bryce, meanwhile, felt like his work had become stagnant, despite his interest in it.

Probably the one thing Dylan taught Bryce that wasn't work-related, and was of value, was how to ignore his Glow. The feeling had begun to overwhelm him, to the point where Bryce felt like he couldn't breathe whenever Dylan walked into a room. So one evening, Dylan explained –

"You need an incredible amount of self-discipline, along with a specific amount of indifference," Dylan told him. "Deep breaths and ignoring it is a good start. Remind yourself why you can't do what you want," which finished with a dissatisfied look from Dylan before continuing. "Above all else, the greater good is worth more than your own needs."

Bryce recoiled but decided to try the advice for a day.

By the end, he disregarded it completely.

The next day, Bryce tried suppressing his Glow Feeling, and subsequently felt sick for the rest of the day. He began feeling terrible for his emotions to Dylan, and, with the lingering sense that he couldn't go to Stevenson for help, proceeded to turn his feelings internal.

Bryce's Glow-Inhibitor shirts had begun to feel like its own separate load to carry, his own Glow feeling like it was burning against his heart. He felt the void in his chest growing; anxiety came with it. He felt like his heart could be scooped out of his chest and he'd still feel the same. He felt miserable.

Dylan, meanwhile, felt fine, save for the nagging sense of longing – 'Sweet, innocent longing,' he reminded himself – that dug into the back of his head whenever Bryce was around. Through deep breaths, he was able to put out the sensation like a burning candle, but only temporarily. With each passing week, the yearning came back quicker than it had before.

~ ~ ~

It was a cold afternoon that Wednesday, grey clouds banding together to conceal the sunlight. There was the threat of rainfall in the air, though that was common for the season.

It was now over two months since Dylan and Bryce entered into the awkward waltz that was being Soulmates. The two rarely interacted beyond their scheduled evenings together. As a whole, work had been progressing at a satisfactory rate to Stevenson.

And then Stevenson noticed a dip in Bryce's work. He shrugged it off, believing that the man was having an off day. But the man's work continued in plummeting, reaching such unsatisfactory levels that Bryce was called into his office well before the day was over. "Your work is abysmal, Houghton."

"I know, sir. I'm sorry," Bryce whispered back.

Stevenson chose his words strategically. "Matthews is doing well now, so I could revoke your 'supervisor' title over him so you c..." Stevenson received the reaction he was hoping for – Bryce's eyes went large, like he was a child who knew he was going to be screamed at by a parent. He gripped the chair and tensed faintly, his mouth slightly ajar, like words were going to begin flowing from his lips. Stevenson finished, "...so you can focus on your own work."

"I know, sir. I'm sorry, sir," Bryce repeated.

"I expect better from you." Stevenson went back to his paperwork.